Drinking fountain attachment for faucets



Nov. 19, W40. A. VAN D. WORTHINGT@ 2,222,273

'DRINKING FOUNTAIN' ATTACHMENT FOR FAUCETS Filed March 15, 1958 yay/VM..

ATTORNEY.

Patented Nov. 19, 1940 smear Fries DRINKING FUNTAIN ATTACHMENT FORFAUCETS Arnold Van Boren Worthington, Oakland, Calif.

Application March l5,

lllaims.

The invention relates to drinking fountain attachments for faucets ofthe type commonly used in sinks, basins and the like.

` An object of the inventori is to provide a de- 5 vice of the characterdescribed which may be quickly and readily attached to the spout of afaucet and which is arranged with an upwardly extending dischargepassage providing a drinking fountain and a downwardly extendingdischarge passage for normal faucet discharge purposes, and is equippedwith means for controlling the liquid discharge from either of saidpassages.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the characterabove having anautomatic pressure responsive and liquid regulating meansoperative to limit the liquid discharge from the drinking fountain andto automatically close the drinking fountain discharge at relativelyhigh applied liquid pressures.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some ofwhich, with the foregoing, will be set forth in the followingdescription of the preferred form of the invention which is illustratedin the drawing accompanying and forming part of the specification. It isto be understood, however, that variations in the showing made by thesaid drawing and description may be adopted within the scope of theinvention as set forth in the claims.

Referring to said drawing:

Figure l is a vertical sectional View of a drinking fountain attachmentfor faucets constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the device illustrated in Figure 1 witha portion of the device being shown in section to illustrate a differentpositioning of certain of the parts.

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional View taken substantially on the plane ofline 3--3 of Figure l, showing the means of attachment to a faucetspout.

Figure l is a longitudinal sectional view of a modified form ofattachment means for the device.

Figure 5 is a side elevation of a modified form ,of the device with aportion shown in section.

The device illustrated in the accompanying drawing is arranged toprovide a combination drinking fountain and spout for faucets andconsists briefly of an intake passage and upwardly and downwardlyextending discharge passages arranged to provide a drinking fountain anda faucet discharge spout respectively, and means for selectivelycommunicating each of the dis- 1938, Serial No. 195,985

ing off the drinking fountain at relatively high 1 liquid pressures.Preferably the device is constructed for attachment to a conventionaltype faucet, although as will be understood, the same may be constructedas an integral part of a faucet.

With reference more particularly to the accompanying drawing, the deviceas illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 5 comprises a` member 'l formedwith a seat 8 for the open end il of a spout il of a conventional typefaucet, and is formed with a portion l2 adapted to underlie the spout lland is arranged to be secured thereto by means of a circular clamp I3extending around the spout and under the portion l2. The clamp may besecured together at its free ends lll by means of screws It. Preferablya gasket ll is mounted at the base of the seat for engagement with theopen end of the spout to seal the latter in the seat. Formed in the bodyof the member 'I and leadingfrom the seat 8 is an intake passage l 8which extends horizontally into registration with afside port I9 of a`vertical discharge passage 2l which is arranged at its upper end 22 todischarge liquid for drinking and at its lower end 23 to dischargeliquid for normal faucet spout discharge purposes. The passage 2l ispreferably formed in a vertically extending conduit portion 2li whichmay be formed integrally with the member l or may be attached thereto asa separate member and preferably the upper end it of the conduit portionis formed. as a ball shaped drinking fountain head.

Mounted within the discharge passage 2l is a pressure responsive meanswhich is operative to cause the discharge of liquid from the drinkingfountain upon the application of relatively low liquid pressures and toautomatically close the drinking fountain discharge at higher appliedpressures so as to conne the discharge exclusively from the lower spoutend 23 of the device provided by the top of a sleeve 32 inserted in thelower portion of the passage 2l.

As will be clear from Figures 1 and 5, the ball will normally rest onthe lower seat 29, so as to close the lower discharge end of the passageand in this position of the ball the latter is spaced somewhat from thetop seat so as to allow vertical flow of liquid to the fountain head. Inaccordance with the present arrangement, the ball is so positioned as toretain its lower seated position at relatively low applied pressures andwill automatically lift from its lower seat and engage the upper seat 28at relatively higher applied pressures so as to limit the liquiddischarge from the fountain head. In this manner, regardless of theapplied pressure, only a predetermined liquid height may be obtainedabove the fountain head and yet the full discharge force of the faucetmay be delivered from the lower end 23 of the vertical passage` Inaccordance with this operation of the device, the user in wishing toobtain water from the drinking fountain will only partially open thefaucet valve, so as to apply only a relatively small liquid pressure inthe intake passage I8. Should the user wish to obtain water for fillinga basin or sink, or for other purpose, for which the faucet spout isnormally intended, he will open the faucet valve to obtain a medium highpressure in the intake passage I8 which willk cause the ball toautomatically close the drinking fountain passage and open the spoutdischarge passage 23. To effect this automatic operation of the ball,the lower ball seat 29 is preferably positioned so as to elevate thecenter of the ball to approximately the top 3l of the port andpreferably slightly above the top of the port. In this position of theball the water is forced upwardly around the ball and at low liquidpressures the ball will retain its seat and permit liquid discharge fromthe fountain. As the liquid pressure and flow is increased the ball isrocked from its seat and upon further increase of pressure to overcomethe weight of the ball, the latter is carried upward to engage the topseat 28. Preferably the chamber for the ball defined between the seats28 and 29 is only a little larger than the ball so that the ball will bequickly moved through the chamber upon variations of liquid flow andpressure to accurately and automatically control the liquid dischargefrom the faucet. In this marmer and as noted above, the ball and thechamber and seat arrangement provide an automatic pressure responsivemeans for providing a discharge of liquid from the fountain head onlywhen the liquid is applied to the device at below a predeterminedpressure, and will automatically close the fountain head and open thespout discharge passage when the liquid is applied to the device atabove the aforesaid predetermined pressure. rIhis arrangement isembodied in the forms of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 and 2and in Figure 5.

As an additional feature in the embodiment of the invention illustratedin Figures 1 and 2, I provide for a manual adjustment of the position ofthe sleeve 23 so that the same may be raised in the passage 2l to engagethe ball against the upper seat 28 to close off the liquid flow to thefountain. In this position of the sleeve the latter is provided with aside opening 33 which is adapted to register with the port ll to receiveWater into the sleeve for downward discharge therethrough. Means for soadjusting the sleeve position here consists of a pin 34 threaded intothe sleeve and extended through a spiral slot 36 in the periphery of theconduit 24. If desired, the pin may be provided with a spring 3'! and afriction washer 38 pressed by the spring against the side of the portion24 for holding the sleeve in its upwardly adjusted position. Aflattening of the upper end 39 of the slot 35 will effect substantiallythe same result as the spring and friction washer. With the arrangementillustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the sleeve may be raised by rotating thepin Sii around the vertical conduit so that only a spout discharge intothe basin or sink is obtained and on the other hand, when the sleeve islowered to its first described position the device will automaticallyfunction to supply liquid to the drinking fountain and to the dischargespout at various pressures as above eX- plained. The sleeve isillustrated in its upwardly adjusted position in Figure 2, In Figure 5the adjustment of the sleeve is omitted and the latter is fixedlysecured within the passage in the aforedescribed lower position of thesleeve.

A modified form of supporting means for the device to a faucet il hasbeen illustrated in Figure 4, wherein the attachment member is providedwith a body portion il of elastic material such as rubber, and formedwith an opening 42 therethrough arranged for drawing over the end of thespout. Preferably the body portion 4I is provided with a seat 8 for theopen end 9 of the spout, and is provided with a horizontal intakepassage !8 leading from the seat and communicating with a side port ll'in a Vertical conduit 24 carried in a vertical opening 43 of the elasticbody lll. The conduit 24 is constructed internally with. a verticalpassage and wall valve as described in connection with the firstembodiment. The subject matter of this modified form of the invention isdescribed and claimed in my co-pending application Serial No. 313,869,filed January 15, 1940, for Drinking fountain attachment for faucets.

I claim:

l. A combination drinking fountain and spout for faucets comprising, amember having a uid supply passage, a discharge passage having an upwarddischarge providing a drinking fountain, a second discharge passagehaving a downward discharge providing a faucet spout, a valve chambercommunicating with said passages, a pressure responsive valve in saidchamber operable to cause fluid discharge from said first dischargepassage at relatively low fluid pressures and to automatically causefluid discharge through said second discharge passage only at relativelyhigher fluid pressures, and manual control means for said valveoperative to position said valve for closing said first dischargepassage at said relatively low fluid pressures, and to communicate saidsupply passage with said second discharge passage.

2. A combination drinking fountain and spout for faucets comprising, amember having a vertical passage therethrough for discharging liquidfrom the top thereof for drinking and from the bottom thereof for normalfaucet discharge and being provided with a side port intermediate saidends, a supply passage connected to said port, a ball seat formed insaid vertical passage above said port, a sleeve mounted in the lower endof said vertical passage and adjustable longitudinally therein andproviding a ball seat at the upper end thereof below the top of saidport, and a ball mounted in said vertical passage between said ballseats and normally resting on the lower of said seats, said lower seatbeing positioned to support said ball with the center of the ball overthe center of the port whereby said ball will retain its seat atrelatively low fluid pressures and cause fluid discharge from the upperend of said vertical passage and raise to said upper ball seat uponapplication of relatively higher fluid pressures.

3. A combination drinking fountain and spout for faucets comprising, amember having a vertical passage therethrough for discharging liquidfrom the top thereof for drinking and from the bottom thereof for normalfaucet discharge and being provided with a side port intermediate saidends, a supply passage connected to said port, a ball seat formed insaid vertical passage above said port, a sleeve mounted in the lower endof said vertical passage and providing a ball seat at the upper endthereof below the top of said port, a ball mounted in said verticalpassage between said ball seats and normally resting on the lower ofsaid seats, said lower seat being positioned to support said ball withthe center of the latter over -the center of said port whereby said ballwill retain its seat at relatively lowfluid pressures and cause fluiddischarge from the upper end of said vertical passage and raise to saidupper ball seat upon application of relatively higher fluid pressures,and manually operl ated means for raising said sleeve in said passagefor positioning said ball against said upper seat, said sleeve beingprovided with an opening positioned to register with said port in theupwardly displaced position of said sleeve.

Ll. A combination drinking fountain and spout for faucets comprising, amember adapted for mounting on a faucet and providing a vertical passagetherethrough for discharging liquid from the top end thereof fordrinking and from the bottom end thereof for normal faucet discharge andbeing provided with a side port intermediate said ends, a supply passageconnected to said port and adapted for connection to a faucet, ballseats in said vertical passage above and below 15 the top of said port,and a ball mounted in said vertical passage between said seats andhaving a diameter less than said passage intermediate said ball seats topermit a free enclosed movement of said ball vertically between saidseats .so and normally resting on the lower of said seats,

said lower seat being positioned to normally cause liquid discharge fromsaid port over the top of said ball and out of the upper end of saidvertical passage at relatively small liquid flow and being positionedrelative to said port to position the ball for elevation in saidvertical passage to said upper seat to close off the upper end of saidpassage at relatively greater liquid flow, said upper seat beingpositioned to position the ball in its elevated position entirelylremoved over the top of said port whereby liquid may ow freely fromsaid port through the lower end of said vertical passage.

5. A combination drinking fountain and spout for faucets comprising, atube having an internal longitudinal passage and a side portcommunieating with said passage intermediate the opposite ends of thetube, conduit means connected to said tube and communicating with saidport and adapted for mounting on a faucet for conveying liquid from thefaucet to said port and supporting said tube in a vertical position ofsaid passage, said tube being provided with an enlarged passage portionextending from the lower end thereof to above said port and defining anannular shoulder at the upper end of said enlargement, a sleeve mountedin the lower end of said vertical passage and positioned with the upperend thereof adjacent said port, and a ball mounted in said enlargementbetween the upper end of said sleeve and said shoulder and having adiameter less than said enlargement to permit free vertical movement ofsaid ball between said shoulder and sleeve end and having a diametergreater than the passage area at said shoulder and sleeve end to cause aseating of said ball against said shoulder and sleeve when engagedtherewith to seal the liquid flow from the upper and lower ends of thefaucet, said sleeve end being positioned longitudinally to support saidball with the center of the ball above the center of said port wherebythe ball will normally rest on said end at relatively small liquid flowand cause such flow to pass upwardly in said tube and out of the upperend thereof and to elevate said ball to said shoulder upon relativelygreater liquid flow, said shoulder being positioned longitudinally tosupport said ball in the upper position thereof with the ball positionedcompletely over the top of said port whereby an unobstructed downwardliquid ow from the port is permitted.

ARNOLD VAN DOREN WORTHINGTON. u

